Walter Assef
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| Walter Assef | |
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| In office 1973 – 1978 |
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| Preceded by | Saul Laskin |
| Succeeded by | Dusty Miller |
| In office 1981 – 1985 |
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| Succeeded by | Jack Masters |
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Walter Assef was a Canadian politician, and former Vaudevillian,[1] who served as mayor of the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. He was the first, and so far the only mayor, to have been elected for two discontinuous terms. He was first elected in 1973 and served until 1978. His second term began when he was re-elected in 1981 and lasted until 1985.
He is famously known locally to have patted the behind of Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Thunder Bay in 1973, although some sources believe it was merely a trick photo taken from an angle that appears to show something that was not real.[citation needed] However, he did officially introduce the Royal Couple to the city as "his Royal Highness and his lovely wife".
Liberace dined at the home of Walter Assef before performing at the Fort William Gardens on 30 September 1961.[1]
As mayor, his nickname was "Jolly Wally". Reportedly, Prince Phillip coined the term, referring to him as "that jolly little mayor from Thunder Bay".
One of the issues he campaigned strongly against was the building of a stand-alone arts complex in the city. When the Community Auditorium (as it's now known) was built, Walter Assef vowed to never attend the grand opening or ever step inside.[2] A populist, Assef once campaigned with a cow.[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Tronrud, Thorold J. & Nicholson, David (2005). Thunder Bay Quiz Book: 101 Fascinating Questions about our History. Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, pps. 19 (question) and 47 (answer) ISBN 0-920119-50-6.
- ^ Tronrud, Thorold J. & Nicholson, David (2005). Thunder Bay Quiz Book: 101 Fascinating Questions about our History. Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, pps. 10 (question) and 40 (answer) ISBN 0-920119-50-6.
- ^ Tronrud, Thorold J. & Nicholson, David (2005). Thunder Bay Quiz Book: 101 Fascinating Questions about our History. Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, front cover (question) and inside back cover (answer) ISBN 0-920119-50-6.
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